Rep Power: 0

Here’s the problem. It happens randomly but it’s doing it more and more, my car will not turn on. As I’m turning the key when you hear the little click right before all the dash lights go off for and second and the engine comes on my car loses all power and shuts down. To get my car started I have to disconnect the positive form the battery for a few seconds and then try it again. It normally takes 2 tries. The 1st time I try my head unit normally spits out whatever it has in it. What the hell is going with my car.

Side notes that might be helpful do have 2 amps in the car one drawing 200 and the other 600

There were a couple times where I had my music on loud for a good 30 mins and my car would not turn off. Meaning I could turn the key to the off position and take it out and all the dash lights and head unit would still be one.

If anyone even has a guess it

 
Rep Power: 0

Sounds like the amps are always on. Make sure that remote wire where it goes from your deck to your amps are properly connected. I believe it is a blue wire with a white line.

 
Rep Power: 0

I wonder if this is part of the problem but my remote light was acting weird so the amps get their start for the cigarette lighter

 
Rep Power: 238

first off....you should never disconnect & reconnect the POS+ wire on any electrical component. Always do this with the Neg- cable. Secondly, yea...the REM line is normally blue (or) blue w/white stripe that leads to the amplifier. This shouldnt keep the REM on after the ACC are turned off as it is switched through the headunit to turn off when the igniton goes off. Simple check....look at the amplfiers power light indicators when your ignition is in the Off position, if the amp lights are on then yea...they are on!

but as long as this blue wire is connected directly from the headunit to the amplifier(s) then there should be no power to them until you turn the car on.

Something may be draining your battery but it could be many of things:

~ Courtesy light in cabin and/or glovebox
~ Door(s) left open
~ Alarm L.E.D's but this would take forever to drain the +12VDC battery, but i have seen where the Blue L.E.Ds you can have added onto the alarm system that are installed into the headlamps and/or marker lamps can slowly kill the battery.
~ Cold weather will drain the battery if left for long enough

Just check all your lights, make sure they are off, etc...

let us know?

 
Rep Power: 238

just to add to the recent post^

check the battery itself to make sure its holding a charge. With car off and a voltameter to the terminals check to see where its at. should read 12V, when car is running should maintain something like 14V i believe. Then turn the headlights and signals on and check the battery and make sure its holding steady, if its dropping like mad crazy...then you may need a new battery and/or altenator.

 
Rep Power: 0

I don’t think anything is draining the battery because every thing cuts off when you turn the key form the 2 to the 3 position I could turn my car on and run everything fine electrically in the 2 position

 
Rep Power: 238

alright...if that all checks out then next in line would be:

~ Short somewhere in ignition switch, wiring, etc...
~ Ignition switch itself is faulty, if you have a spare or can get one to borrow somehow try this?

my guess?

 
Rep Power: 0

If the switch is faulty why it would only happened randomly and why do I normally have to clear the battery twice

If there was a short how would i find it

 
Rep Power: 238

well...you have to have a starting point right? so...
if it seems to have issues at the ignition switch as you stated (at position 2) then my first guess is to start right there and move your way into the system/electrical.

remove the necassary dash pieces to get at the ignition switch and run some continuity testing with a voltameter on VDC, see if it has problems there before doing anything else. I also mentioned swapping the ignition switch itself to see what would happen but you would need a buddy with a spare or if you had one on hand yourself would even be better.
While your in there look for shorted wiring, frayed wiring, broken terminals, connectors, etc....

if this all looks solid, then youd take it to the next step right?

 
Rep Power: 0

^^
It definitely sounds like a faulty ignition switch or loose connection some where.

 
Rep Power: 0

Looks like I have a long Sunday project to do, also I’m not sure if this is going to be a big issue that I forgot to add. But when installing my head unit I did fry the lights in the gauge pod. Also getting my car to start is heavily based on the head unit. (in terms of making sure it’s closed or having it in the on potion.) If my head unit is causing (which I think is a big part of the problem) where should I start to look after the wire harness or course.

 
Rep Power: 238

1. Power the headunit to a different source, you may have it hooked up to something it shouldnt be on.

2. Ground it directly to the chassis.

then see the results?

 
Rep Power: 0

How do I have the HU pull power from somewhere other than through the power wire in the harness. Also when I ground straight to the car do I splice out a wire to the chassis or do I just completely disconnect it from the wire harness and go straight to the chassis?

 
Rep Power: 238

i replied to a tread similar to your issue....anyhow....

in some cases when you tap for ground sources it shows up on your voltamter that is is indeed -GRND when the ACC is switched on, however...
once the headunit is installed then you turn the car to the "ON" position it powers this wire for an antenae. This is just one example to give you an idea, and this in turn blows fuses as soon as you turn the car on and the deck activates.

reason i stated....

Ground it to a point on the car where its metal to metal

Power it to another source and see the results/.

 
Rep Power: 0

First and foremost thank you for all of your time and help. As for rewiring the power source what other option do I have. The only other one I know about is the cigarette lighter.

 
Rep Power: 238

probe for another source using the voltameter +12VDC, there are many lines running thorugh the car for components other then what you are using now. If...you dont have one for some odd reason, then wire it to the +POS side of the battery directly (though the firewall) but make sure to use an inline fuse for the headunit. Then the ACC wire from the headunit can be tapped off a source from the ignition switch other then what you are using.